You know the surveys on the back of fast food receipts?  I called in to complete one the other day and thought I’d share my experience.

It first asked the six digit store number and then had me verify it was correct.  This was followed by a question if I used the drive-thru or dined in.  Next, I was asked how many days ago I visited the restaurant, what time I placed my order, and if it was AM or PM.  After keying in this background information and confirming it was all correct, I got to the one and only experience-related question: “Would you recommend this restaurant based on your most recent experience?”  Yes, it’s essentially The Ultimate Question, but was that one question enough? Even if the results were cross-tabbed with the previous questions?

To be fair, I was given the option to leave a voicemail for management or staff at the end, but I still had to wonder if the company really maximized my call.  (I presume the register already tracked I was at the store that day, and drove-thru at 5:43 PM).  All in all, I’d say I spent about two minutes giving the store information it already had (or should have had), and about ten seconds about my experience.

While I appreciate a quick survey as much as the next guy, if a person is ready, willing, and able to complete a survey for you, stay mindful of the simple things like making every second count and asking questions that provide real value.